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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

Lately, I've been enjoying reading many of the books recommended here at PW. Borrowing from Matt's idea of listing music played by PW members, I'd like to start a thread listing books related to pianos, piano music, pianists and piano composers. Please include the title, author's name and a very brief description of what it covers. To keep the list managable, please do not critique the book. We will assume you liked it if you add it to our list.

Here's mine so far:

Grand Obsession Knize (Perri's journey to find the perfect piano)

Inner Game of Music Green (Techniques for mastering nerves and tension)

Men, Women and Pianos Loesser (History of pianos)

My Life in Music Barenboim (Barenboim's experiences as a pianist and conductor. Interesting insights into the art of conducting.)

My Life with the Great Pianists Mohr (Personal reflections, caveat: heavy on religion).

My Many Years Rubinstein (Autobiography)My Young Years Rubinstein (Autobiography)

Andromaque
3000 Post Club Member
Registered: 08/29/08
Posts: 3886
Loc: New York

very interesting idea, Deborah (I can't really call you by your handle, gooddog!). May I suggest you format the listing a tiny bit (eg a comma or semi-colon) to separate the title and author for ease of reading

Well, it's not about piano playing per se, but this book influenced my own philosophy about making music. The author Michelle Cassou takes a process over product approach to painting. An approach I now apply to creating at the piano.

Highly recommended if you're looking for an intuitive approach to creating ... in any art.

An Amateur at the Keyboard, Being an Invitation to the Keyboard and its Pleasures, a Discussion and Brief History of its Literature, and Advice How One May Serve the Community as Accompanist, Master of Programs, Critic, or by encouraging the Public Music by Peter Yates

I'm reading a pretty good one just now: The Rest is Noise; Listening to the Twentieth Century. Alex Ross, Picador pub. (FSG), 2007, paper, 695 pages.

Ross worked as music critic for The New Yorker. This is a historical and musical overview of twentieth century composers, music, and the music scene. It was pretty harrowing century, when you think about it: WWI, WWII, Germany in the Weimar Republic and on into Hitler, Russia before the revolution and on into Stalin. Then again, there was Paris in the twenties, Hollywood in the thirties and forties, New York in the fifties and sixties. It is a pretty well-informed and unflinching look at a time it seems many music history writers would as soon skip over.

Ross is a pretty smart guy, and the text is dense with ideas and information, yet the story is readable and even gripping. At 695 pp., including an index, it is a lot of book for eighteen bucks.

"Just Being at the Piano" by Mildred Portney Chase is a favorite of mine to share with students, especially adult students. I didn't see this one on your list.Nice idea for a thread, Deborah. What a wonderful selection of good reads!

A Music Study in Germany; Amy Fay; The music "scene" of the late 1800sReminiscing with Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, Robert Kimball and William Bolcom; not so much piano, but a far less well known music "scene."

Wonders of the Piano; Catherine Bielefeldt; the best book on how pianos are made.